"It should have."
"In theory." Malachi used a finger to sketch an imaginary chart. "The roadruns into the pass heading due east but when it gets to the crest it elbowssixty degrees south. There are four towers on the outside of this curve, twoon either side of the summit. Three on the inside curve, with the middleperched on the crest. No names, just numbers, with the odds to the outside, evens in, counting from the far end. Number Four is the keystone piece. It'sthree times as big and defensible as the others.
"Note the angular relationships between the towers. When all seven are intactonly One and Seven have much of a shadow where they don't get supporting firefrom the other towers. That isn't big enough to exploit well. Four has noshadow at all.
"Interesting from your professional viewpoint, I'm sure," bel-Sidek said.
"What went wrong?"
"I don't know. We took away every option but reducing the towers in series."
"Sounds like the hard way."
"Hard, but the cheapest way for them. Also the slowest, which is why we wantedthem to do it that way. Their sappers and engineers were good, but we madethem pay dear to take One, Two, and Three. What happened later I don't know. Iwas in Three."
"Bel-Pedra?" bel-Sidek asked.
"I was in Five, sir. I don't think I can help much. They went after Four likelions for three days and didn't get nothing but bloody noses. Then the suncomes up on the fourth morning and there's the Herodian standard showing uptop and heralds down front telling us they'd make us rich if we'd just openup. We dumped the toilet pails on them and they went away. Five minutes laterwe were taking fire from the heavy engines on top of Four. Whatever happened, the guys there never had time to destroy those."
Bel-Sidek pursued that tale a little, not because he was interested butbecause he did not want his next question to sound especially important. Hegot the two men to discuss Herodian tactics in the assaults on the varioustowers. Then he asked Malachi, "Did they try to get Three to surrender beforethey attacked?"
"Oh, they tried that with everybody. A matter of form. They have some kind oflaw. They got the same answer every time, and they expected it."
"Uhm. Bel-Pedra, you'd better get back to work. Malachi, I have a chore foryou." He let bel-Pedra depart. "Go over to the new Herodian shipyard and findBhani Sytef. You want a list of all employees who were at the Seven Towers.
You want to know which tower they served in. He's supposed to know things likethat, but with so many working there I'd be astonished if he actually did.
Just get a list of those he does know about. If it isn't enough I'll get backto him."
Malachi rose. He looked puzzled. "What's going on?"
"I don't know. But the big boys are trying to connect some people up with someother people and the only lead they've got is that maybe these guys were allin the same outfit at the Seven Towers."
Bel-Sidek was well known to the Living in his quarter, but very few knew himto be khadifa of the waterfront. At every level he appeared as the agent ofthe men a step or two up the chain of command. There were risks. Bel-Sidekfelt having access to all his men all the time was worth those risks. Theharbor quarter was the busiest for the Living and needed the most directattention.
They want to ask people from outside the movement first?"
Bel-Sidek shrugged. "I don't decide how things get done, I just do the job."
"Nothing ever changes, does it?"
"Not in the army."
Malachi left. And he returned much sooner than bel-Sidek expected.
"You were wrong, sir. He knew them well. There were only three men he couldn't pin down for sure." He proffered a piece of paper. "I'll see that he gets a commendation. Back to work. I fixed you with the Pellans."
Bel-Sidek settled and ran a finger down the list. His finger jerked. "I should've guessed." And it all fell into place, right along with the solution.
He wanted to run to the General immediately. But he still had to assemble thegangs to work Meryel's ships.
The new governor's galley was trying to warp into its pier and having a hellof a time even with help from several tugs. Bel-Sidek smiled and murmured, "Ihope that breeze is an omen."
Medjhah shaded his eyes and peered at the harbor. "Ships coming in. Fancyones."
Yoseh yanked his attention away from the girl's house. Medjhah pointed.
Three ships were crossing the slice of harbor visible from Char Street.
"Warships?" "The two on the outside. Must be somebody important."
"Ferrenghi, probably."
It took Medjhah a few seconds to get it. "Yeah. They all think they're big stuff, don't they?" Yoseh's attention drifted back to that doorway. The girl was mere again. And the old woman was giving him a truly ferocious look.
He felt puckish. He winked at her.
She was astonished. She was scandalized. Then, for an instant, a smile threatened to crack the dried mud of her face. Then she became more the basilisk than ever. "Now what the hell?" Medjhah grumbled.
A dozen Dartar horsemen were hastening down the hill, speaking to the men at each entrance of the maze. Each pause caused an immediate stir. Yoseh guessed,
"Fa'tad is calling us in for some reason." Soon he was proven right. A man told them to call everybody out of the labyrinth and get ready to move out.
"I'll go get them," Medjhah said. He had grown bored watching the animals and the traffic in Char Street. "Give her a good-bye kiss for me, too." He laughed as he went into the alley.
Yoseh began checking and tightening the animals' tack. At least they did nothave prisoners to worry them, like some of the other groups.
They had become part of the scenery quickly and the curious crowds hadthinned. But now people began coming out again, to see the Dartars packing upas hastily as they had arrived.
Yoseh glanced down the street, The girl was watching and the crone wasglaring. The three ships were out of sight.
Medjhah was taking a long time. Should he go see? No. These veydeen wouldsteal the animals, or scatter them at the least, just for meanness.
He realized he was alone in a street with hundreds who hated him. He drew himself up and tried to look older and tougher and a lot more fearless than hefelt.
He was worried.
Then he heard Nogah cursing Joab and Fa'tad, the veydeen and ferrenghi, Cadoand the gods, and anyone else who occurred to him. Yoseh felt betterimmediately.
A couple of disgusting, frightened veydeen stumbled out ahead of Yoseh'sbrothers and cousins. Their hands were bound behind them. One tried to run.
Somebody stuck a spear between his legs. He pitched forward. Nogah jumped onhim and kicked him viciously three or four times. Yoseh was astonished andappalled.
Then he noticed the cut and stain on Nogah's left sleeve. Blood did not showwell against the black, so the wound had not been obvious. Which was why theyall wore black.
Nogah growled, "Are the animals ready?"
"Yes. Is that bad?"
"No. But it hurts like hell." He yelled at the others, telling them to get theprisoners coffled up and get themselves mounted.
"It's still bleeding some, Nogah."
"That'll keep it clean."
"You want me to look at it?"
"Here? In the damned street?"
"Oh." Of course. Not in front of the veydeen.
"Thanks anyway, kid. The ache will remind me that even things that live underrocks can hurt you if you aren't careful."
Yoseh glanced at the prisoners. They did have a texture that reminded him ofgrubs.
It was not long before Joab came up the hill, the column re-forming behindhim. As Yoseh turned his camel into line some impulse caused him to wave tothe girl in the doorway. Though not blatantly. No.
For a wonder the crone wasn't looking.
For a double wonder the girl returned his wave shyly. Then she fled into thedarkness inside her home.
He did not wake up till they reached the compound and everyone started tellinghim he had to get changed into his best apparel. A new civil governor wasarriving from Herod and everyone had to turn out for the welcoming parade.